Submission and Respect

When I started getting more serious about my spiritual walk over four years ago I was very focused on my career. It took almost all my energy just to get done with my daily to-do list. And though I hate to admit it, my husband and children were often another item on the list that needed to be tended to and maintained. And reading the Bible was something I did if I had the time and energy at the end of the day.

Through a Bible study I felt a whisper: my priorities were all wrong and my identity was in the wrong place. I was putting my worth in my professional accomplishments. I needed to put God first. Then my husband (and I needed to respect him, something I am TERRIBLE at). Then loving my children and demonstrated to them how to live a godly life. I’ll be really honest, the thing I was most concerned with demonstrating to my children was how to be a hard-working, driven, successful woman. Demonstrating to them how to submit to God’s will wasn’t on my radar. And demonstrating respect to my husband didn’t cross my mind.

Those who live according to the flesh have their minds set on what the flesh desires; but those who live in accordance with the Spirit have their minds set on what the Spirit desires. Romans 8:5 NIV

The answer is where I set my mind. The more time I spend reading the Bible, studying, praying, memorizing verses . . . the more my actions change. The more I submit to God. The more I respect my husband. The more I love my children.

I can’t change on my own. But the more time I spend with God the more my life is transformed.